It's just when coach Geno Auriemma stops and thinks about it, well, it's kind of crazy.

"To be in that situation nine times and to have it all work out our way, that's kind of improbable, when you look back at it," Auriemma said. "You don't realize while you're doing it, but when you bring it up and you really force yourself to look back, man, I really can't explain it either.

"It's going to end. It might end [Tuesday]. Might end if we're in that situation next year, the following year. This isn't something that's going to last forever. We're not going to win every single championship game that we're in, if we're in some more, but up to this point, man, it's something that's really hard to explain. And I'm just incredibly grateful."

On the eve of UConn's 10th national championship game, with Auriemma on the verge of tying legendary UCLA men's basketball coach John Wooden's record of 10, somebody asked him after Sunday night's 81-58 win over Maryland what he attributed his success to in the championship game.

"Trying not to listen to people talk about what the record is," Auriemma said. "Because if you play in enough of these games, you're going to lose at some point. We've played in a lot of these. We've played in nine of them. And we won all nine.

"I hope we play in nine more while I'm at Connecticut, and the thought that we're going to go 18-0 in these games ... if that happens ... it's ludicrous. Ludicrous.

"So we're going in on Tuesday, it's one game. One night for the season, really. The other nine aren't going to have any bearing on it. [They're] not going to mean anything. At least not for me."

UConn and Notre Dame, teams led by coaches raised on Philadelphia hoops, were more than rivals. The former Big East foes had taken their mutual distaste to the national stage and civility...

TAMPA , Fla. — A year ago, there was tension in the air as the teams met in the biggest game of the season.

UConn and Notre Dame, teams led by coaches raised on Philadelphia hoops, were more than rivals. The former Big East foes had taken their mutual distaste to the national stage and civility...

(PAUL DOYLE)

Perhaps not, but it all adds up to a legacy that is unsurpassed in women's college basketball. Pat Summitt won eight national titles; Auriemma passed that milestone last year.

UConn (37-1) could win its third in a row Tuesday at Amalie Arena, and the Huskies have to beat rival Notre Dame (36-2) to do it.

"Being able to be part of something that's exciting for everybody to watch in women's basketball, it's special," said UConn senior Kaleena Mosqueda-Lewis, who will play in her last college game.

Last year, UConn and Notre Dame faced off in the final in Nashville. Both teams were unbeaten and hadn't played each other in the regular season. They were in separate conferences after a long rivalry in the Big East.

Notre Dame lost starting center Natalie Achonwa to an ACL tear in the regional final against Baylor and was not the same team at the Final Four. UConn won its ninth championship easily, 79-58.

"We didn't have Ace [Achonwa] and that was kind of a bummer and everybody was still upset and hurt with her not being out there with us," Notre Dame All-America guard Jewell Loyd said. "They took it to us. We were kind of still in mourning for Ace. We kind of let our emotions get the best of us."

This season the Huskies and the Irish played in December, but Notre Dame was missing freshman post player Brianna Turner, out with a shoulder injury. UConn won again, 76-58.

"I think we are a much better team with her on the floor," Notre Dame coach Muffet McGraw said.

So the teams will face each other at full strength. That's different. And the atmosphere is different at this year's Final Four and not just because it's warm and sunny in Tampa.

Last year, there was marked tension between the two teams during the AP player of the year and coach of the year awards ceremony, which was held in a small room crowded with players and coaches from both teams. McGraw won coach of the year and Breanna Stewart player of the year.

Asked about it that day, McGraw said, "Yeah, I think there was definitely tension in the room. I think, for us, we wanted Kayla McBride to win the player of the year award. So I think it was a little bit of that. And we certainly think the rivalry has gone a little away from the civility it was when we were in the league together."

"Last year was like gladiators," Loyd said. "It was just heated. "This year it's friendlier, I guess. Everyone's laughing and smiling. It may be the weather. I don't know. It's not as hostile, which is good. When you have two competitive coaches going at it like that, it's going to be a little heated."

The civility is back. "We have a really good relationship," McGraw said Monday. The rivalry is as heated as ever. UConn knows what Notre Dame is going to do. Notre Dame knows what UConn is going to do."

UConn will be back here again. And so will Notre Dame.

"They're a lot like us," Auriemma said. "I think at Notre Dame and Connecticut, we don't try to have great teams. Our goal, and I don't think their goal is any different, is they're not interested in having a great team. Their program now kind of sustains great teams year in and year out."